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Chrarada continued to busy herself, scrolling through the tens of updates clogging down her notifications as the fleet entered the home system. "Nothing out of the ordinary. That's good to see. Guess the Terrans are doing a good job defending the miners."

As her ship slowly approached Leda, she finally came nearer to the end of her updates. Yet unexpectedly, upon reading one particular update, her bored face turned into a grin as a battle group of six warp-capable ships were currently awaiting orders. "Open a com to battle group one."

She decided to send the recent battle report to the six ships. Her orders were to study the most recent battle while they patrolled the outer system. Though pirate activity was non-existent with the Terrans around, the enemy was still nearby, so it felt right to her.

"Take us in to dock with Leda for resupply and analysis. I want to make sure there are no faults with the technology integration. Give the fleet a few days of RnR in the civilian quarter as well." Chrarada ordered to her fleet. She was happy, confident in her people's battle prowess after the recent engagement and knew they deserved some time off.

"Aye, ma'am!"

Chrarada could see the excitement on her crew at the thought of socializing with the Terran civilians again. She had begun to hear some interesting rumours before the fleet left to assist the response force, and she had secretly hoped it would continue. Though it pained her to admit it, the alliance with the Terrans was proving the salvation she could never deliver to her people.

Shaking such thoughts from her head as she reached the end of her updates, she came across a private medical notice from her friend Andriet that had been wrongly filed. Opening it up, she shrunk deep into her couch and fought to keep the fear off her face. "Bring our ship to meet with the Terran fleet at Aaster immediately. Send the rest to refit as ordered."

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Ethuci slowly stirred in his warm bed. His head a mess of thoughts and his body a wreck of sensations, or lack thereof. Feeling a cool hand gently caress his shoulder, Ethuci fought to open his heavy eyes as his mind struggled to clear its haze.

"Try not to move, you stupid male."

Struggling to win his battle, Ethuci slowly opened his eyes, only to be met with the sight of a pink female staring down at him with an affectionate expression. "Ah, the Terrans did mention something about an afterlife. I find it rather pleasant."

Chrarada sat stunned for a moment in silence, deciding to buy herself some time by turning away from his piercing gaze and pretending to observe his vitals. "If this was a so-called afterlife. You would still have your arm."

Looking over to his shoulder, Ethuci finally noticed his missing arm. " Oh... Well, this is quite a problem..."

...

Chrarada sat in silence as she looked down at Ethuci, who laid quietly in his bed. She struggled for words as she watched him lay still, studying the void where his arm was, noticing the shoulder portion moved slightly as if he was trying to move his arm. "The Doct-"

"So, I guess my career is finished." Looking back up to Chrarada, Ethuci let out a long sigh, quickly looking away from her in embarrassment as he did.

Chrarada sat in her chair as the silence permeated the room. Looking down at her male, all the while wishing, his eyes would return to her. "The doctor sa-"

"Did they find anything in the vault, at least?" Turning back to look at Chrarada, Ethuci scented the air and retracted his hood in shame.

Chrarada looked down in frustrated silence before slowly getting up and sitting down on the bed next to Ethuci. Gently, she reached down to her male. She then slowly opened her hand and smacked him upside the head. "Don't interrupt me, my mate."

Ethuci sat stunned, not so much from the attack but her words. "Oh. I'm sorry." He replied.

Chrarada straightened her back and placed her hand on Ethiuci's chest as she looked down at him. "As I was saying. The doctors say they can join a cybernetic arm to your body until they can figure out how to clone a new one for you. Or you could keep the cybernetic arm if you wish. I understand you can use them to deploy hard light shields and hide various weapons in them. They sound rather useful."

Ethuci Chuckled, grabbing Chrarada's hand as he sat up. "I see. That sounds like a good idea. A hidden pistol or blade could be quite useful defending my mate, would it not?"

Chrarada squeezed Ethuci's hand in return, feeling the heat seep into her as she sent a message to the doctor with her other. "I'm having cybernetics implanted in my skull. Admiral Miles tells me it's useful for organization and communication. I would like for you to get one as well, but I can't make that decision for you."

Ethuci spread his hood and raised his chin in submission. "Anything else you need me to get while I'm under the knife?"

Shamelessly scenting the air, Chrarada shivered lightly as she savoured the taste of her submissive male while meeting his eyes. "Terran soldiers have nanites injected into their blood. It helps to strengthen their body and increases their... Endurance."

Ethuci stilled his tail and signalled his accent. "I assume you want me to test the first batch of these nanites? I will do so."

Chrarada got up from the bed as the doctor walked in and handed off the datapad. "I will be here for you when the doctors are finished."

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Specialist Koma Makan eagerly walked towards the hard light suite. Initially, when he was 'picked up from his home and informed about this mission's importance, he could hardly contain his emotions. Translating an alien language was always his dream. To be beaten to the punch by some test pilot.

But now, he had the chance to translate the language of a newly discovered alien race. One that Michael Graeme claimed to be impossible to understand. Walking past the door guards that just seemed to wave him through leisurely, he entered the specialized room containing the alien.

"Hi there. You must be specialist, Makan?"

Turning towards the direction of the voice. Koma was excited to see not only Michael. But a real Aasteran as well. "Yes! Please. Call me, Koma. It's truly a blessing to be able to meet the two of you. Oh! I look forward to working with you, Michael. Your work on the Aasteran language is quite extraordinary."

Michael moved to shut the door. Ignoring the laughter and jeers from Srettia as he did so. "Alright, first off." Making sure the door was locked and the soundproofing was active, Michael turned to Koma. " I need you to sign this NDA. It basically says you can't talk about what you're about to see."

Koma looked at the datapad. Then to Michael in anger. "You expect me to sign this? Do you plan to take credit for my work? If I can't talk about what happens here until an 'Undisclosed date?' I won't sign it."

Srettia materialized her favourite chair model and sat with a loud thud, Gaining Koma's attention. "Then you can get lost. Michael won't be able to take credit for your work. But you won't be a part of this either. Don't talk about him like he's some thief."

Koma was surprised at the Aasteran's aggression towards him and her defence of Michael. Looking over to Michael, who just shrugged at him, he reread the contract. " Why all the secrecy? If this is as important as I think it is, the public should be allowed to know what happens and how. Otherwise, future generations won't have a foundation to build off of when meeting other species."

Michael sat down beside Srettia and pulled up a drink. "Just sign the damn NDA. Everything will make more sense if you do."

Reluctantly signing his name, Koma tossed the datapad at Michael. "I don't have a choice here, do I?"

"Not if you wish to work with me on this language."

Koma flinched as a flash of light appeared in the room, raising his hands to shield his eyes from the light as it formed into a man. "Who's there?"

"I. Am Jack, an AI. I was the one who translated the Aasteran Language. I have also recently translated the Voktlix language."

Koma looked at Michael, Then at Jack in confusion. "So it's a classified translation program doing the work? Am I just here to troubleshoot it or something? And what's a Voktlix?"

Michael frowned at the insinuation and stood from his chair. "I would apologize to Jack. He's as real as you or I, and I won't stand for insults."

Koma began to sweat at the way Michael referred to this Jack and decided to seek clarity. "You don't mean like. He's an AI, AI. Do you? Why is it here?"

Michael took a step forward in anger before Srettia quickly caught his hand. "Why don't you fucking ask him, Jackass."

"No need for anger partner. He is just confused. To answer your question, yes, I am a true AI."

Koma looked towards the door then to Jack, who just seemed to stand still. "You're not going to kill me, are you?"

"I am growing bored of that question."

"No, he won't kill you. He's a good boy." Srettia tossed out. "Let's get you two talking to the alien. It's... The diamond form over there." Pointing out the silicon diamond in the Corner, Srettia pulled Michael to his seat and draped herself across his lap.

Koma stared at Srettia for a moment before looking over to Jack. "Is it asleep?"

"We do not know. It does this from time to time. So it would be safe to assume this is its resting state."

Walking over to the alien, Koma paced a circle around the floating diamond before looking at Jack. "Well, how do we wake it up?"

"That is an excellent question. We have not bothered attempting to wake it before. We are unsure of what would happen."

Koma materialized a chair and sat a few meters away from the alien. "Well, I guess we wait then... And what do you mean you translated another language?"

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Ankiah sat in her amazing future room. After visiting with the doctor and therapist, the brass had two armour soldiers escort her to a 'VIP suite.' Where she was shown the ins and outs of this future world.

"No, no, no. 'Computer' the Corset needs to be backless, and the sides need to be lower; otherwise, my mane will cut through my clothes." Flailing her hands, Ankiah's attempts at getting the 'computer.' to design her dress was progressing at a slow pace.

"Listen to my words, 'computer.' I want a white and black dress with a backless corset that's low enough to show off my white chest fur but not my breasts. I want my dress's skirt to reach my lower calves, but with the front open, so people can see my boots. Oh, make the boots reach up to my thighs. I want them to be a leather as well. Oh, I want leather arm sleeves. Oh, and a hat! I want a hat with a large feather on it! Oh, And a cape. I need a cape!" Watching as the 'computer' calculated her request. She clapped excitedly as it displayed a genre that hit precisely what she was looking for.

"I thought the fashion of these Terrans was lacking, what with them all wearing uniforms and coveralls. But this stuff is fantastic." She thought, deciding to pick the one that had a pocket watch and cane with the set. She then proceeded to wait impatiently as the fabricator spun to life and began to spit her clothes out. "Perfect!"

Walking out the door in her new dress Ankian looked to her guards and waved her paw at them as they stood at their post ogling her figure. "Well, space boys, Let's go explore, shall we?"

Swishing her white-tipped tail at the soldiers as she turned around, Ankiah perked her ears and strolled down the hall to the lift. "Tell me about the entertainment facilities this place has. Back home, I spent a lot of time at the card and comic workshop when I wasn't studying to be a currency counter."

Private Caithen held back her laughter as the steampunk fox-girl strolled down the hall with her diamond-tipped cane and decided that this fox lady was exactly her type of gal. "Well, we have an old-style cinema for movies, a zero-G arena for sports."

"Bleh sports. That's the last thing I need. I already go to the gym enough. And who needs sports when there are so many comics to read." Ankiah keyed the lift button to the civilian entertainment district that Private Caithen pointed out and motioned the Terran to continue.

"Right. Well, the gym is in this district; I'll show you that since you attend. But we also have a hard light facility. You can play out fantasies or play games. You can also be a part of movies, or you can also pretend to be a comic book character or ani-"

Ankiah swiftly turned around and took Private Caithen's hand. "Take me there! I want to go to the hard light building now!"

Private Caithen leaned to the side to see Ankiah's tail wagging wildly and bit her tongue. "Alright, let's head over now then."

Practically bouncing up the stairs and into the facility. Ankiah quickly walked up to the register and slammed her paws on the counter. "I want to rent a room!"

Catching up with Ankiah, Caithen waved the stunned clerk and bystanders away and took out her military cred chip. "Give us the best room you have."

The clerk nodded, Not taking his eyes off Ankiah for a second as he pulled a chip out and handed it over to Caithen. "End of the hall, Left side."

Ankiah snatched the chip and studied it for a second before shrugging and running off down the hall. "See ya later, slowpoke!"

Groaning, Caithen took off after Ankiah. Noticing along the way, two fully armoured special forces soldiers on the right side of the hall, stopping to salute the two officers before running to catch up. " Swipe the card across the pan- yes, like that."

Ankiah entered the room and twirled around in awe as blue blocks began to form around her and create a command console. Looking down, she frowned as the words were in a script she couldn't read. "How am I supposed to get this thing working?"

' Please State Your Request To the Terminal '

Ankiah clutched to the newly formed terminal and took a deep breath. "SHOW ME YOUR HEROES!"

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